Real Madrid vs Manchester City live: Xabi Alonso under pressure as Kylian Mbappe starts on the bench in Champions League battle | OneFootball

Real Madrid knocked Manchester City out of last season’s Champions League (John Walton/PA) (PA Archive)

Real Madrid host Manchester City in a crunch Champions League clash with Xabi Alonso under increasing pressure at the Bernabeu.

The former midfielder was only appointed in the Spanish capital at the start of the season but reports suggest that he could face the sack as soon as this week if Real Madrid suffer another set-back here. A defeat to Celta Vigo has led to growing discontent over the side’s form, with rumours of a rift with Vinicius Jr and wider questions over whether Alonso is getting the best out of a star-studded squad making tonight a crucial fixture.

And it doesn’t get any easier for Alonso yet, with star striker Kylian Mbappe only fit enough to start on the bench after training away from the rest of the squad in the days before the game.

Pep Guardiola, then, will be eyeing a big away win against a familiar foe. The Manchester City manager beat Real Madrid five times during his time at Barcelona but has won against them only once since. A success here might re-establish his side as top-tier competition contenders, though, and boost their hopes of a top-eight finish as a competitive league phase rolls on.